Non-Contact Power Supply Guide for EV Charging Alignment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Misalignment between the power transmitter and receiver in electric vehicle charging stations leads to reduced charge efficiency in electric vehicles.
Innovation Solution
A non-contact power supply device with a guide system and power transmitter that includes guide parts and a vehicle stopper to define the stopping position of the electric vehicle, ensuring accurate alignment and preventing misalignment, along with a foreign object remover to maintain efficient power transmission.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of energy
If the electric vehicle is charged without a guide system, then the charging process is simple and quick, but misalignment between the power transmitter and receiver occurs, reducing charge efficiency
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a guide system as an intermediary component between the power transmitter and the electric vehicle. This guide system includes guide parts that physically guide the vehicle into the correct position, and a stopper that prevents over-advancement, thereby ensuring proper alignment without requiring complex active control systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The guide system is designed to automatically guide the electric vehicle into the correct position through passive mechanical means. The guide parts and stopper work together to self-correct the vehicle's position without requiring active intervention from the charging system, making the alignment process automatic and reliable.
2Measurement precision
If the space between guide parts is made narrower, then alignment precision is improved, but the electric vehicle cannot easily move into the charging position
Solution Approach 1:
The guide system employs a dynamic space configuration where the distance between guide parts varies along the vehicle's path. The space is wider at the entrance to facilitate easy vehicle entry, and progressively narrows toward the charging position to achieve precise alignment, creating a dynamic transition from accessibility to precision.
Solution Approach 2:
The guide parts are designed with curved surfaces that gradually guide the vehicle from a wider entrance area to a narrower alignment area. This curved geometry allows the vehicle to smoothly transition into the correct position without abrupt constraints, maintaining ease of entry while achieving precise alignment.
3Device complexity
If the guide parts are made lower, then the device complexity is reduced, but the wheels of the electric vehicle may stick out of the guide unit
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of increasing the height of guide parts in the vertical dimension, the patent extends the guide parts in the horizontal dimension beyond the width of the electric vehicle. This lateral extension provides sufficient guidance and constraint without requiring tall vertical structures, maintaining simplicity while ensuring reliability.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution effectively prevents reduction in charge efficiency by ensuring precise alignment of the electric vehicle during charging and removing foreign objects, thereby enhancing the charging process.
Implementation Method 1
a power transmitter that includes a power transmission coil and a housing accommodating the power transmission coil and that transmits power to the electric vehicle stopped at the stopping position from the power transmission coil
Data Source
AI summary
A non-contact power supply device 1 supplying power in a non-contacting manner to a battery 51 provided in an electric vehicle 5, includes a guide 20 that defines a stopping position of the electric vehicle 5 when the electric vehicle 5 is supplied with power in the non-contacting manner; and a power transmitter 10 that includes a power transmission coil Lt and a housing 110 accommodating the power transmission coil Lt and that transmits power to the electric vehicle 5 stopped at the stopping position from the power transmission coil Lt, wherein the guide 20 includes two guide parts 21, 21 disposed apart from each other in a width direction of the electric vehicle 5 with a space greater than a width of the electric vehicle 5, and a vehicle stopper 22 that is disposed at a far side in a moving direction of the electric vehicle 5.